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realmofstories2021-01-03 01:43 pm
storyevents) wrote in realmofstories2021-01-03 01:43 pm
Chapter 06: Act III
Frankenhyde: ACT III—
§ instructions.
The third Act is underway! This is the designated log for all Main Scenes. Others are free to create their own toplevels for the Sub Quests, which are detailed below. Each Main Scene has their own unique toplevel and those cast into the roles are to thread their scene under each. All scene instructions are provided in the toplevels.
As stated in the flavor text above, all sorts of craziness is happening this act. There’s some additional information in the game notes, but things to keep in mind and possibly play with are as follows:
Costumes are also provided for this Act, although there's something...odd about the choices this time around:
Finally, just to be clear, characters who are in Main Scenes are not immediately dropped into their location and will have to go through specially marked doors and then return. Characters will also be aware of their roles and partner prior to entering the scene, so it's possible for them to meet and coordinate beforehand or meet within the scene for the first time. Threading all of that isn't necessary, but it's to help give a better idea that characters can take a break between scenes or wait a bit to help with other things like the Sub Quests.
Feel free to refer to the Game Notes for more detailed info as well as ask questions or clarifications.
§ sub quests.
Everyone is free to participate in the Sub Quests. There are no specific top levels, so you're free to incorporate them however you wish in your own top level.
¶ I. Pick a side, any side. Early on, everyone will start feeling not quite themselves throughout most of the act. It can range from mild to severe and last for varying lengths of time, but the effects will always be temporary. Characters will either take on a "Hyde" personality or a "Stixen" (Frankenstein's Monster) personality.
Should any of the two meet each other, they will be immediately hostile with "Hyde" personalities taunting and trying to coax the "Stixens" to be more like them. It is possible for a "Stixen" to switch to a "Hyde." It is also possible for anyone not affected to try and snap the other out of it, or at least convince those who are under "Hyde" influence to focus their violence on other problems instead of each other. A solid hit to the head will work wonders.
¶ II. Creepy Crawlers. There is an abundance of abominations roaming through the city—failed creations that will attack anyone on sight. The robotic reindeer are still around and will try to aid in clearing them out, but some will actually be consumed and mutate instead.
¶ III. Emergency Book Repair. The very book itself is starting to tear apart and it worsens after the final battle scene. Buildings starting to crumble, Blots disintegrating, even the very ground ripping open. If this keeps up the story will be destroyed. Fortunately, the Aspects aren't left helpless. Ribbons made of white light and runic symbols appear here and there as if trying to help "stitch" things together. Using their Essences, Aspects can find these "ribbons" and gather them to spread over other places. Use of Essence abilities will also help with patching things up, as if the use of them is reaffirming the story’s existence itself. Buildings will start to be repaired, cracks in the earth sealed over, and possibly blots restored, though some of the construction work may be a little patchy. That building wasn’t always partially made of straw or gingerbread, but it might be now!
¶ IV. Wildcard. Make up your own prompt!
With such an unpleasant ending to the last act, the mood in Londeva has changed further. The weariness and silence felt in the evenings continues and the bright splashes of color from before have taken on a more garish contrast, no longer seeming quite as cheery as they had before. Still, life and the story must go on, so the quill is once again put to paper in order to deliver the events of the scenes to the Aspects once more.
Unlike before, when everyone awakens they will not feel refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Instead, there's a feeling of lethargy and unpleasantness, as if they experienced a restless night with unpleasant dreams. That feeling of past and possible potential dread will be hard to shake given that the city still seems as dreary as before. Still, life goes on as the citizens of Londeva continue to go about their daily routines. If anything, the city seems livelier than it was before, almost as if people are trying their best to make it a better brighter place in defiance of recent events.
But all is definitely not well in Londeva. With all the residents being busier and livelier, that means the blots and Erasers are more active as well. And as the Act goes on, the city itself seems to become more active with entire blocks disappearing and transforming seemingly at random. Additionally, cracks begin to appear in the city, ground, and sky as well as if the story itself is having trouble holding itself together. Hopefully everything will work out in the end, but it looks like getting there may be a bit of a challenge.
Still, the Storyteller has faith that the Aspects will be able to see things through, even if some of their behavior during this story gives room for pause.
Some time after we last saw Hyde and the illustrious Dr. Jekyll, Hyde approaches the doctor to demand some sort of recompense for being the doctor's experiment; after all, Hyde pointed out, they can't get good data on an "unhinged man" if Hyde's limited in what he can actually do. Though Hyde threatens him, Jekyll is able to keep calm and compromise with his test subject on the matter of pay. He once again warns Hyde to avoid drawing too much attention to himself. Hyde assures him that he knows what he's doing.
A few days later, Mister Utterson is called to Jekyll's house to discuss some personal matters. The old friends take a few moments to clear the air between them, to allow Utterson a moment to vent to his old friend, before the settle down to the business Jekyll called his solicitor for in the first place: adjusting his will to leave everything to one Mister Hyde. Utterson is appalled at the very idea, but Jekyll eventually confesses that he and Victor Frankenstein were working on creating life and that Hyde is a vital part of these experiments. It only makes sense to leave all of his money and property to a known criminal who would probably kill you as soon as look at you.
Perfect sense.
That night, as the young Danvers is out walking, Hyde decides it would be a wonderful idea to kill an innocent man in cold blood. A few hours later, Stixen finds Hyde in an alleyway covered in Danvers's blood. Tired of trying to play nice with the "normal" humans, Hyde points out that the two of them will never be accepted for what they are, so he and Stixen should just kill them all. Stixen admits it's a solution, but is not entirely convinced. The two part ways.
As Hyde returns home to Jekyll, Jekyll has had enough. He realizes what happened last night when he sees Hyde covered in blood, and that is a line too far. Jekyll demands Hyde stop. Hyde decides that he doesn't want to stop, but instead take over Jekyll's life. The two fight, and Jekyll is locked in his cellar, leaving Hyde free to do whatever it is he wants.
The next day, Stixen is wandering around and thinking about what Hyde suggested. He runs into the young Agatha de Lacy, who is trying to get her cat down from a tree and is very clearly annoyed. Stixen, still wanting to help people, climbs up the tree in an impressive display of acrobatics and rescues the girl's cat. Agatha is impressed and the two start to form a very tentative friendship before parting ways. Unfortunately for them both, Hyde was watching.
As Stixen was saving kittens from trees, Utterson rushes to Jekyll's house to report Danvers's murder and ask him to come look over the body. He's distraught to find the poor man having a panic attack in his cellar and hurriedly gets him out of there. Jekyll hates what science has become since his younger days, though Utterson does point out that it was always a little unsettling, and things are about to get a lot worse. Upon inspecting the body, Jekyll realizes that this was the man Hyde had killed.
That night, disgusted at what he had seen earlier that day, Hyde tracks down the de Lacy house and sets it on fire. Agatha flees the scene; Hyde gives chase. Eventually, the poor girl is torn limb from limb by the now monstrous Edward Hyde. When the girl's body is discovered, a mob forms outside of Victor's lab, demanding that Stixen face justice. Victor knows that the girl's death was not Stixen's fault, and so the two try to calm the people down to no avail. Eventually, they resort to looking around the lab for something to use to force them to calm down, allowing Victor to escape and get help.
Victor eventually finds Jekyll and begs him for help. Jekyll, of course, agrees, but he first insists that Victor join him at his home and all but forces Victor to follow. As they get closer to Jekyll's home, Victor realizes that it is not Jekyll at all but Hyde and tries to get away. He fails and, realizing that there is no hope for him, is gentle and almost calm about it all. Hyde, in one more act of brutal violence, stabs Victor through the heart.
Unlike before, when everyone awakens they will not feel refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Instead, there's a feeling of lethargy and unpleasantness, as if they experienced a restless night with unpleasant dreams. That feeling of past and possible potential dread will be hard to shake given that the city still seems as dreary as before. Still, life goes on as the citizens of Londeva continue to go about their daily routines. If anything, the city seems livelier than it was before, almost as if people are trying their best to make it a better brighter place in defiance of recent events.
But all is definitely not well in Londeva. With all the residents being busier and livelier, that means the blots and Erasers are more active as well. And as the Act goes on, the city itself seems to become more active with entire blocks disappearing and transforming seemingly at random. Additionally, cracks begin to appear in the city, ground, and sky as well as if the story itself is having trouble holding itself together. Hopefully everything will work out in the end, but it looks like getting there may be a bit of a challenge.
Still, the Storyteller has faith that the Aspects will be able to see things through, even if some of their behavior during this story gives room for pause.
§ instructions.
The third Act is underway! This is the designated log for all Main Scenes. Others are free to create their own toplevels for the Sub Quests, which are detailed below. Each Main Scene has their own unique toplevel and those cast into the roles are to thread their scene under each. All scene instructions are provided in the toplevels.
As stated in the flavor text above, all sorts of craziness is happening this act. There’s some additional information in the game notes, but things to keep in mind and possibly play with are as follows:
- there’s a pervasive feeling that something bad is going to happen
- cracks will begin to appear in the city and sky as the act progresses
- the amount of Erasers and rogue blots in the city will increase as the act progresses
- the city’s layout will appear and disappear, and change throughout the act (see the book repair subquest for more information)
- Aspects could be susceptible to behavioral changes (see the pick a side subquest for more information)
- During scenes where Victor's body is involved, the body will appear as his plant creation from before. Will it be dead, alive, friendly or hostile is up the players.
Costumes are also provided for this Act, although there's something...odd about the choices this time around:
Finally, just to be clear, characters who are in Main Scenes are not immediately dropped into their location and will have to go through specially marked doors and then return. Characters will also be aware of their roles and partner prior to entering the scene, so it's possible for them to meet and coordinate beforehand or meet within the scene for the first time. Threading all of that isn't necessary, but it's to help give a better idea that characters can take a break between scenes or wait a bit to help with other things like the Sub Quests.
Feel free to refer to the Game Notes for more detailed info as well as ask questions or clarifications.
§ sub quests.
Everyone is free to participate in the Sub Quests. There are no specific top levels, so you're free to incorporate them however you wish in your own top level.
¶ I. Pick a side, any side. Early on, everyone will start feeling not quite themselves throughout most of the act. It can range from mild to severe and last for varying lengths of time, but the effects will always be temporary. Characters will either take on a "Hyde" personality or a "Stixen" (Frankenstein's Monster) personality.- "Hyde" side. Will have erratic, immoral, and violent tendencies. Those who have non-human Essences can become more monstrous and transform at will, even capable of hiding their transformed self while still able to use some of those powers.
- "Stixen" side. Will be the opposite with a more curious, polite, and generous disposition. Those who have non-human Essences will more often be stuck in their transformation; alternatively they will only transform when enraged and become more violent in this time.
Should any of the two meet each other, they will be immediately hostile with "Hyde" personalities taunting and trying to coax the "Stixens" to be more like them. It is possible for a "Stixen" to switch to a "Hyde." It is also possible for anyone not affected to try and snap the other out of it, or at least convince those who are under "Hyde" influence to focus their violence on other problems instead of each other. A solid hit to the head will work wonders.
¶ II. Creepy Crawlers. There is an abundance of abominations roaming through the city—failed creations that will attack anyone on sight. The robotic reindeer are still around and will try to aid in clearing them out, but some will actually be consumed and mutate instead. - There's another reason to destroy the abominations: any not killed will be captured by an Eraser and loaded into one of the many airships to fly towards a darkened space in the sky. For what reason is unclear, but it's best not to wait and find out. Stopping the Erasers and destroying the airships will be paramount.
¶ III. Emergency Book Repair. The very book itself is starting to tear apart and it worsens after the final battle scene. Buildings starting to crumble, Blots disintegrating, even the very ground ripping open. If this keeps up the story will be destroyed. Fortunately, the Aspects aren't left helpless. Ribbons made of white light and runic symbols appear here and there as if trying to help "stitch" things together. Using their Essences, Aspects can find these "ribbons" and gather them to spread over other places. Use of Essence abilities will also help with patching things up, as if the use of them is reaffirming the story’s existence itself. Buildings will start to be repaired, cracks in the earth sealed over, and possibly blots restored, though some of the construction work may be a little patchy. That building wasn’t always partially made of straw or gingerbread, but it might be now!¶ IV. Wildcard. Make up your own prompt!
no subject
Save your speech, you're just delaying your death!
[Instead of attacking him, that's when he changed tactics. He didn't move. He just stared at Ren and waited what he would do next]
What the hell do you know anyway?
no subject
It seems he's either giving up or more likely, trying something else.]
Not much, but I know enough to know your other self is stronger than he might think. I know he can pull through this.
[He doesn't make any other moves just yet. He's waiting to see what happens and if he can use words to get through to the real Ken.]
no subject
You really do think so? How sad for you think that way from a murder.
no subject
...That wasn't his fault. The scene made Makoto do it.
no subject
Doesn't stop him from being one. What a pity he had to deal with it but once a murder? Always a murder.
[Once again, he was referring to himself but he shall see where this conversation will go]
no subject
[He tightens his grip on the knife.]
no subject
[It seemed it was enough to get Ren angry. Should the shadow keep at it?]
I'm surprised you're defending this much over a murder.
no subject
I told you, it was the scene that made him do it! It's not his fault his shadow took over.
Do you not seriously remember the times that you two fought side by side?!
no subject
What would Makoto think of him now?]
Doesn't matter, he was fool to put his faith into what happened. He really should have known better than to kill a comrade!
[Was he really talking about Makoto anymore? He didn't know but he'll keep the manipulation going in hopes to get Ren to attack]
no subject
This world needs to be saved despite how horrible it is. For the sake of the people living here.
He didn't choose to take on the role of Hyde. He didn't choose to have his shadow possess him and do that to you.
It's. Not. His. Fault.
[Dammit this head pain is getting bad.]
no subject
I see how it is! How wonderful, it makes it easier to attack my leader when I find him!
[That was when the shadow took the initiative and walked closer to him. However, he still has the handle of the spear in front of him should anything happen.]
You like him, don’t you?
no subject
Don't you dare touch him.
[He raises an eyebrow at that last question.] Oh course I do. He's my--
...very close someone.
[He wasn't sure if he should share that he and Makoto are dating or not. It might not be the best idea, especially if Ken doesn't know.]
no subject
Lie all you want but I know how you feel. Looks like I'll have to get my revenge on him too when I have the chance.
[Despite his words, there was some hesitation. He didn't look as confident as before there was a hint of worry behind his expression.]
no subject
What are you talking about? Why would I want revenge on him? And you better not touch him or I'll--
[He makes a wince of pain as he continues to struggle against his shadow.]
no subject
About him? Makoto frowned, he didn’t know if it was truly about him or not with Ken, although Ren had interpreted it that way. But it certainly became about him when Ken guessed right about their relationship, or at least Ren’s side of it. Alright, this had gone on long enough and Ren was letting his emotions get the better of him. So, he walked right up to the boys and without any warning, flicked their foreheads as hard as he could.]
Knock it off, both of you.
no subject
However, that didn’t stop him from attempting to place his spear toward Ren’s neck hoping to start a fight. If he could draw out his shadow, it would be the battle he craved so much.
Or at least, that was the plan until he felt someone hitting his forehead. As he turned around, his yellow eyes glared at him.]
Ugh, looks like we got a shitty guest coming our way. You gonna start a fight or what?
no subject
Makoto...
[At that last part, he turns towards Ken.]
Ken-kun that's enough. You've got to snap out of it. Don't let your shadow continue to control you.
no subject
[He pocketed his hands and glanced at Ren before addressing Ken again.]
You can call me a murderer all you want, I’m still going to care for you and do what I can to make up for what I did. I take full responsibility.
no subject
[He said without any hesitation. His grip on the spear tighten before putting himself at a fighting stance at the both of them.]
You’re wasting your time in watching over someone like me. Murders shouldn’t have to deal with the likes of assholes like you!
no subject
It's not a waste of time. You're our friend, and we care about you. There's no need for a fight here.
no subject
[He knew this wasn’t really Ken talking, and it was very much a low blow to mention his death so casually like this. But it was also something he felt needed a reminder. Ken wasn’t the only one to have suffered. They all had in some way and they all knew that revenge was never the answer.]
You’re not really angry with me, are you? You’re angry at yourself. Too young, too weak. You couldn’t defend yourself properly and fell because of it.
[He reached out to gently push the staff away.]
Doesn’t mean you can’t get back up and try again.
no subject
Only for now.]
Who is say I won’t try again? What’s a poor lowly middle schooler going to do with blood on his hands?
[He said with a shrug as he gave off a smug smirk.]
People are all the same, they’ll kick you out once you know what they’ve done. You both are no different.
no subject
People can be cruel and the world is a harsh place, but that doesn't change the fact that we still care about you as a friend. Even if you do have blood on your hands, that doesn't mean you are a bad person. You're better than you think you are.
no subject
[He wasn’t sure what else to tell him.]
Did you forget what Shinjiro told you, Ken? He wanted you to live on, regardless of what you have or would have done. You really wanna go back on that now?
no subject
What's the point when he's dead? Words like his are meaningless when he's not even around anymore!
[Nevertheless, he was wincing. Suddenly, his head started to feel really painful as he dropped his spear before trying to regain some control.]
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